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Known to his colleagues as a hard-nosed and resourceful news executive, Gart takes over a daily that, for all its history of economic tribulations, is one of the nation's liveliest evening newspapers. Under Editor Bellows, the Star recruited Pat Oliphant, possibly the most acute and entertaining cartoonist since David Low. Its saucy "Ear" has become one of the most widely copied gossip columns in the U.S. Other new features include Page One "In Focus" analysis of current issues and beefed-up commentary. The Star has not been able to approach the depth and breadth of the Post's news and features, in part because its editorial staff is down to 207, vs. the Post's 432. (The Star's editorial budget is $8.6 million, vs. $20 million for the Post.)
The Star staffers who hung on through Allbritton's austerity years took pay cuts and worked Stakhanovite hours to keep the paper alive. Says Gart: "The Star people have been through an ordeal like no other newspaper staff I know. They have to be tougher, more resilient and more inventive than any other bunch in the country. That's one hell of an asset. That's what it takes to go places with a newspaper."
It takes more, of course. Thanks partly to cost cutting in the circulation and promotion departments, the Star's circulation in the last audited year (ending March 31) was down 43,236, to a low of 329,147. Ad linage also dropped, but new Publisher Hoyt is convinced that the downcurve is reversible. Time Inc. will spend some $2 million in the next year to automate production, data-processing, typesetting and mailroom equipment. Says Hoyt: "My sense of the situation, the paper and the marketplace is that all the ingredients are here for a successful operation. It will stand on its own feet."
Most Washingtonians hope so. They include Vice President Walter Mondale, who called Gart to welcome him to D.C., and Washington Post Executive Editor Ben Bradlee, whose signal went out: "Welcome to our town. It's a good newspaper town, and it's going to be better because Murray's here."